Pool stabilizer and shock absorber

ABSTRACT

AN ADJUSTABLE POOL STABILIZER AND SHOCK ABSORBER IS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE POOL WALL AND A SECURE POINT. ADJUSTMENT OF THE STABILIZER PERMITS ADJUSTMENT OF THE POOL WALLS WHILE THE POOL IS FULL. SHOCK ABSORBER MEANS IN THE STABILIZER PERMIT THE STABILIZER TO RECEIVE SHOCKS WITHOUT DAMAGING THE POOL WALLS OR THE STABILIZER.

Jan. 5, 1971 s. GREENE POOL STABILIZER AND SHOCK ABSORBER- Filed April22, 1968 INVENTOR. Gre en 6? J amue/ #1 TORNEY United States Patent O3,551,920 POOL STABILIZER AND SHOCK ABSORBER Samuel Greene, 18 UnderwoodDrive, West Orange, NJ. 07052 Filed Apr. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 723,125 Int.Cl. E04h 3/16 US. Cl. 4172.19 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anadjustable pool stabilizer and shock absorber is connected between thepool wall and a secure point. Adjustment of the stabilizer permitsadjustment of the pool walls while the pool is full. Shock absorbermeans in the stabilizer permit the stabilizer to receive shocks withoutdamaging the pool walls or the stabilizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to the field ofwall supports and adjustments for swimming pools. The subject matterincludes a stabilizer-shock absorber connected between the wall of aswimming pool and a fixed point so that adjustment may be made to thepool wall while the pool is full. Shock absorber or resilient means areincluded with the stabilizer so that activity within the pool, whichcauses shock waves of water, will not damage the pool wall or stabilizerdue to the shock-absorber action.

In the prior art, rigid supports are utilized to support the walls ofswimming pools. For pools on the ground, above ground or in the ground,most of these pools whose walls bowed due to water pressure or bowed dueto heaving of ground, due to frost or thawing of the ground, had to beemptied in order to adjust the walls because of the commonly used rigidsupports. The present invention provides means for leveling andstraightening of bowed walls without emptying the pool or withoutdigging up the perimeter of the in-the-ground pool merely by turning theadjusting cap screw nut on the stabilizer arm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In summary, the invention comprises a pool suchas a swimming pool wherein adjustable stabilizer shock absorbers areplaced around the periphery of the pool. Each stabilizer is connected tothe pool wall at a fixed point and each stabilizer may be adjusted inlength without disconnecting either end. In this manner bows in the poolwall may be removed while the pool is full.

The invention thus replaces rigid type fixed supports, that have noflexibility of adjustment, with easily adjustable stabilizing shockabsorbers which allow adjustment of pool walls without the need to drainthe pool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of arectangular underground pool having a plurality of adjustable wallmember support means.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of a swimming poolshowing a portion of the wall and an adjustable wall member support.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an adjustable wall member support.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention will now bedescribed by reference to FIGS. 1-3 wherein like members are assignedlike numerals.

The liquid 2 is contained by wall members 4 which are supported byadjustable wall member support means 6. The members 6 are secured at oneend to wall members 4 and at their other end to a fixed point 8.

In the preferred embodiment of the adjustable wall member support means6, a nut and bolt type arrangement is utilized to adjust the length ofthe support means without disconnecting the ends of the support means.In this manner the walls 4 of the pool may be distorted to resist bowingdue to pressure caused by the liquid within the pool.

By turning the nut 10, the degree of telescoping of the threaded portion12 within the inner sleeve 14 is adjusted.

Activity within a pool often causes shock waves which are absorbed inthe present invention by the action of the inner sleeve 14 pressingagainst the pin 16, block 18- and resilient member 20 so as to absorbtemporary shock waves without damage to the pool walls or the supportmeans 6. A temporary shock causes the inner sleeve 14 to telescopewithin the outer sleeve 22 as the resilient or yieldable shock absorbermember 20 distorts to receive the shock.

The pin 24 aids in the assembly and dis-assembly of the support meansand pin 16 rides in slot 26 under compressive shock conditions.

It is thus seen that an on-the-ground pool may utilize a plurality ofadjustable wall member support means, the number of which is dependentupon the size and strength of the pool wall, to resist the bow of thewalls due to liquid pressure from within the pool or to adjust therelative distance between the wall and the fixed point to which theother end of the adjustable wall member support means is secured. Theground fixed point in the preferred embodiment lies in an extension ofthe plane formed by the plane of the bottom of the pool, and constitutesthe pivotal connection 8 of a pivot block 29 secured in the outer sleevewith a fixed ground bar 30 secured in fixed relation to the ground andto the bottom of said wall.

Adjustment of a nut 10 on each support means permits adjustment of thewalls by relative longitudinal movement of said sleeves in oppositedirections selectively to exert or relieve pressure on said wallswithout draining the pool.

The support means also acts as a shock-absorber to accept temporaryshocks without damage to either the wall member 4 or the support means6.

It should be understood that this invention is not limited to specificdetails of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, andthat changes and modifications may occur to one skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention; the scope of theinvention being set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A swimming pool at least one wall of which has adjustable wallsupport means including an inner sleeve telescopically associated withan outer sleeve one end of which is pivotally connected to a fixedground bar, a screw having one end pivotally connected to said wall andhaving its other end portion screw-threaded and extending into saidinner sleeve at one end thereof, a nut on said screw-threaded portion inabutting relation to said end of the inner sleeve providing for relativelongitudinal movement of said sleeves in opposite directions selectivelyto exert or relieve pressure on said wall.

2. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 with the addition of resilientmeans in said inner sleeve to yieldingly resist forces applied to saidinner sleeve through said screw and nut.

3. A swimming pool as defined in claim 2, wherein there is a pivot blockin the end of said outer sleeve pivotally connected to said fixed groundbar and said 3 4. resilient means comprises a resilient member one endof 3,315,278 4/1967 Schatzki et al 4 172.19 which abuts said pivotblock, and there is another block 3,409,916 11/ 1968 Billig et a1. 4-172.19 fixed in said inner sleeve and abutting the other end of3,444,659 5/1969 Shanni 4172.19 said resilient member.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner References Cited H' K. ARTIS,Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,984,478 5/1961 Westcott, Jr.267-63 3,010,117 11/1961 Riley et a]. 4-172.15 52169 3,193,847 7/1965Mashura 4-172.19 10

